Fundamentals of health care involve knowledge about how the body works, how to take care of the body, and how the health care system works. This section covers basic anatomy of the body, including genetics, which is the foundation of what makes each person unique and also help us understand why some diseases affect only certain people. Topics that cover taking care of the body include prevention, exercise and fitness, and rehabilitation. By reading the topics within Making the Most of Health Care and those within Legal and Ethical Issues, consumers of health care will be more informed and more equipped to negotiate the often overly complex health care system. Death and dying is inevitable, and understanding what happens during the dying process can often lead to a more comfortable experience for the dying person as well as the dying person’s loved ones.

Fundamentals Sections (A-Z)

Death and Dying

Death is an intrinsic part of life, and talking about the likely outcomes of illness, including death and dying, is an important part of health care. Doctors and patients vary in the language they use and in their comfort level regarding such discussions.

Exercise and Fitness

Regular exercise makes the heart stronger and the lungs fitter, enabling the cardiovascular system to deliver more oxygen to the body with every heartbeat and the pulmonary system to increase the maximum amount of oxygen that the lungs can take in. Exercise also does the following:

Financial Issues in Health Care

In the United States, health care is technologically advanced but expensive. Health care costs were about $3 trillion dollars in 2014 (1). For decades, the amount of money spent on health care has increased more than the overall economy has grown. In the United States, the percentage of GDP spent on health care is substantially higher than that in any other nation. (GDP is the total market value of goods and services produced within the borders of a country. It is the main measure used by government departments to monitor the economy in the short term.) According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in 2013 the United States spent 16.4% of GDP on health care compared to around 11% for the next highest countries, including the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, and France (2).

Genetics

Genes are segments of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that contain the code for a specific protein that functions in one or more types of cells in the body. Chromosomes are structures within cells that contain a person's genes.

Legal and Ethical Issues

The law has a lot to say about personal decision-making. For example, people have the legal right to make their own health care decisions. However, poor health can jeopardize people’s ability to exercise their legal rights.

Making the Most of Health Care

Gone are the days when people can rely solely on their family doctor with the help of a nurse to take charge of their health care. To obtain the best health care today, people must participate actively in the process. Active participation means many things:

Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation services are needed by people who have lost the ability to function normally, often because of an injury, a stroke, an infection, a tumor, surgery, or a progressive disorder (such as arthritis).

Also of Interest

Test your
knowledge

Walking is a well-balanced form of exercise for most people, regardless of age. Many people are able to maintain a modest level of fitness through a regular walking program. Walking is relatively easy on the joints. When walking, which of the following can strain joints?

MSD and the MSD Manuals

Merck and Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA (known as MSD outside of the US and Canada) is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. From developing new therapies that treat and prevent disease to helping people in need, we are committed to improving health and well-being around the world. The Manual was first published in 1899 as a service to the community. The legacy of this great resource continues as the Merck Manual in the US and Canada and the MSD Manual in the remainder of the world. Learn more about our commitment to Global Medical Knowledge.